Intel
Core i9-12900K
Core i9
Current Price
$279.00
MSRP: $589.00
Overall Rank
(Consumer CPUs only)
(Consumer CPUs only)
#38
of 234
Overall Rank
#54
of 251
Value Rank
#36
of 207
Gaming Rank
#28
of 251
Productivity Rank
#32
of 251
Core Specifications
Cores
16
Threads
24
P-Cores
8
E-Cores
8
Base Clock
3.2 GHz
Boost Clock (Single)
5.2 GHz
Socket
LGA1700
Lithography
10nm
Cache
L1 Cache
80 KB per core
L2 Cache
1 MB per core
L3 Cache
30 MB (shared)
Power & Thermal
TDP
125W
Base Power
125W
Max Turbo Power
241W
Memory Support
Memory Types
DDR5, DDR4
Max Memory
128GB
Memory Channels
2
ECC Support
No
Platform & Connectivity
PCIe Version
5.0
PCIe Lanes
20
Integrated GPU
Yes
Integrated GPU Model
UHD Graphics 770
Closest Competitors by Performance
Core i7-1470018,659
Ryzen 9 790018,283
Core i9-12900K (Selected)18,205
Core i9-12900KF18,031
Ryzen 7 9800X3D17,562
Quick Stats
Generation
12th Gen (Alder Lake)
Release Date
11/4/2021 - 4 years old
Status
current
Market Segment
Desktop
Performance Scores
Overall
18205Measured against consumer CPUs only
Value65.3
Efficiency145.6
Use Case Ratings
Gaming9/10
Productivity9/10
Budget Value6/10
Benchmark Scores
Cinebench R23 Single1,995
Cinebench R23 Multi27,341
Geekbench 6 Single2,607
Geekbench 6 Multi15,317
PassMark41,161
Console Comparison
Comparison based on overall performance score calculated from multi-core benchmarks. Console CPUs are optimized for gaming workloads.
Core i9-12900K
100%100%
Xbox Series X(Gen 9 (2020))
54%54%
PS5(Gen 9 (2020))
51%51%
Xbox One X(Gen 8 Mid (2016-2017))
10%PS4 Pro(Gen 8 Mid (2016-2017))
9%Notes
The Core i9-12900K was Intel's first hybrid architecture flagship featuring 16 cores (8 P-cores, 8 E-cores) and 24 threads. Boosting up to 5.2 GHz with unlocked multiplier, it revolutionized Intel's desktop lineup with Alder Lake architecture, introducing performance and efficiency cores to mainstream processors. This CPU delivers excellent gaming and productivity performance, supporting DDR5 and PCIe 5.0 for future-proofing. While surpassed by newer generations, it remains a capable high-end processor offering strong multi-threaded performance at often reduced prices. Ideal for users seeking flagship capabilities from the generation that pioneered Intel's modern hybrid design.